SCC - KS - RFQ - Ecology Consultant

Award

Buyers

Value

£0

Suppliers

Classifications

  • Environmental services

Tags

  • award

Submission Deadline

2 months ago

Published

2 weeks ago

Description

Surrey County Council 'the Council' is seeking an experienced Ecology consultant who can bring their expertise in ecological matters for the Council's Natural Environment Team.  The Consultant must be qualified with experience gained for at least 12 months at a Principal Ecologist grade level. The consultant should be a full member of Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). However, the Council may require the services of a more senior ecologist should the need arise.  This could be for a complex case, or additional services may be required by the Team which may require experience of a senior more experienced ecological expert. 

Documents

Premium

Bypass the hassle of outdated portals. Get all the information you need right here, right now.

  • Contract Agreement

    The official contract terms, conditions, and scopes of work.

    Download

  • Award Notice

    Details on the tender award and selected suppliers.

    Download

Similar Contracts

Open

Projecting UK Biodiversity Indicators into the future

2. Project Aims The overall aim is to produce a proof-of-concept test on how UK Biodiversity Indicators can be projected into the future to help inform conservation decision-making. The test will include making projections. These are not intended for operational use initially, but will aim to describe the steps, demonstrate potential outputs, and assess the feasibility of more routine application. The scope of the work at present is UK terrestrial biodiversity. 3. Project Background The UK regularly publishes a range of biodiversity indicators (https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/uk-biodiversity-indicators-2024/). These UK Biodiversity Indicators (UKBI) are used to track and report progress against international commitments made through the Global Biodiversity Framework. The indicators are wide-ranging, and encompass pressures (e.g. pollution), policy and management interventions (e.g. sustainable forestry), environmental outcomes (e.g. species population trends), evidence about biodiversity, and public interest and support for conservation. Some of the UKBIs are also used/adapted by individual UK countries, and are an important tool for wider communication of how biodiversity is changing. The analysis of current trends will continue to be essential. However, there is increasing recognition of the need for evidence about how the environment could change in future. There are several aspects to this, including: • Understanding the likely 'Business-as-Usual' future trajectory for pressures and interventions • Understanding impacts from individual policy options and decisions • Investigating the interaction between multiple policies, and the likely net outcomes under different assumptions about implementation • Understanding possible future changes in environmental pressures and the options for management and mitigation This evidence can enable more informed discussions on the balance of policies and how investment is allocated. It can also identify risks and opportunities, and provide a communication tool to raise awareness of possible future environmental trajectories (as used in broadly similar ways e.g. in relation to climate), rather than only focusing on past trends. Furthermore, projecting the UK Biodiversity Indicators gives a direct link with how the UK assesses progress on national and international environmental objectives. Being able to project these indicators and test responses to evolving policy priorities and wider socioeconomic changes would be a powerful tool to inform environmental decision-making. As such, JNCC are particularly interested in flexible and re-usable approaches that combine scenarios of potential environmental changes with models that project what effect these changes have on UKBIs. Related JNCC-supported work This project will contribute to a longer-term JNCC ambition to support the development and implementation of biodiversity projections to inform conservation decision-making, through the Biodiversity Pathways project (https://jncc.gov.uk/news/biodiversity-pathways-project-launched/). The project described in this invitation to tender is a standalone piece and does not rely on any previous work 4. Project Objectives To meet the overall Project Aims (Section 2), the objectives are: 1) Agree at least one suitable scenario for projections. This can be existing or newly produced, but must involve some change in the key drivers that affect selected UK Biodiversity Indicators (i.e. the scenario cannot be 'no change from the current position'). 2) Develop, document, and pilot a re-usable modelling approach to project selected UK Biodiversity Indicators under the scenario(s) for a 20-30 year period. We do not expect this to be suitable for using operationally without further testing, but it should be sufficiently developed to show the potential and to enable Objective 3. 3) Evaluate strengths, limitations, and transferability of the resulting methods and projections, to inform next steps in developing this approach. 5. Project Objectives: Detailed Tasks 1) Agree at least one suitable scenario for projections We do not expect an extensive scenario development process - the main purpose of this contract is to develop and test modelling methods suitable for projecting UK Biodiversity Indicators. As such, the scenario(s) used should identify key direct drivers of changes in the selected indicators and set reasonably plausible values for these. However, scenarios would not need to consider underlying policy or socioeconomic shifts necessary to affect the driver values in this way. Existing scenario(s) can be used if relevant. The UK Biodiversity Indicators used must be suitable for projection for the UK and ideally for individual UK countries. We are particularly interested in the indicators listed below, and would like to include at least one indicator from Group 1 (species trends) and at least one indicator from Group 2 (pressures, habitat condition). Note that several of these indicators include multiple components - ideally, each component would be projected though if this does not add much new information or is impractical with the time/evidence available then the focus can be narrowed. Where bidders are aware of overlap with previous or ongoing work on biodiversity projections, this relationship should be explained with a description of how proposals build on rather than duplicate other work. GROUP 1: UK Biodiversity Indicators relating to species trends. Priority to include projections for at least one indicator from the following list Status of threatened species Conservation status of UK species of European importance Priority species abundance Trends in the relative abundance of priority species Priority species distribution Trends in distribution of UK priority species Birds of the wider countryside and at sea Trends in abundance of commoner native birds Insects of the wider countryside (butterflies) Trends in abundance of resident butterfly species Plants of the wider countryside Change in abundance of plant species in four UK broad habitat types Mammals of the wider countryside (bats) Changes in relative abundance of GB breeding bat species Status of pollinating insects Changes in the distribution of bees and hoverflies GROUP 2: UK Biodiversity Indicators of pressures and habitat condition. Priority to include projections for at least one indicator from the following list Air pollution Area affected by acidification and area affected by excess nitrogen Invasive species Number of invasive non-native species established Changes in the extent of invasive non-native species Protected areas Changes in the extent and condition of Protected Areas Status of threatened habitats Conservation status of UK habitats of European importance 2) Develop, document, and pilot a re-usable modelling approach to project indicators under the chosen scenario(s), for a 20-30 year period There is no requirement to use a specific modelling approach. However, the methods (including code) must be clearly and transparently described in sufficient detail to enable re-use and external evaluation. Consideration should also be given to how the approach could be generalised to other indicators (see Task 3, below). The choice of method should be justified as suitable for projecting indicators for a 20-30 year period, and ideally for individual UK countries. Projections should be accompanied by an explanation of the approach to validating outputs, and descriptions of assumptions and uncertainties. We recognise that projections can be complex to produce, and we do not expect the methods to be suitable for using operationally without further testing. However, the content should be sufficiently developed to show the potential and to enable Objective 3. 3) Evaluate strengths, limitations, and transferability of the resulting methods and projections, to inform next steps in developing this approach Objective evaluation of strengths and limitations of the projections is essential to inform future work. The detail of this will depend on the outcomes, but is likely to include: i) Would the methods be feasible to apply operationally, e.g. on a regular basis and/or with new scenarios or policy questions? If yes, what is required to achieve that? ii) Could the methods be extended to other UK Biodiversity Indicators? If yes, which indicators and what would be required to achieve that? iii) What additional evidence would help improve the projections and/or enable better validation of outputs? iv) Are there additional indicators not currently within (or in-development for) the UKBI that would be informative for conservation and amenable to scenarios and modelling? Outputs should be written into a report (see Section 7, below). See Section 13 for guidance on tender responses 7. Outputs Any products or outputs submitted to JNCC [for publication] should adhere to JNCC's house-style and should be produced in an accessible format (see Product Specification below for more information). The expected output is a report including indicator projections, methods detail, and commentary on findings, with a limit of approximately 7,000 words. A shorter non-technical summary will also be required (approx. 250-500 words). Additional information (e.g. code) should be included as supplementary material as needed. Responses can propose additional or alternative outputs and formats if these would more effectively meet the project objectives. 8. Product Specification JNCC is committed to making its publicly available resources and documents accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Katy Reed

Katy Reed

Published 3 days ago
Open

Projecting UK Biodiversity Indicators into the future

2. Project Aims The overall aim is to produce a proof-of-concept test on how UK Biodiversity Indicators can be projected into the future to help inform conservation decision-making. The test will include making projections. These are not intended for operational use initially, but will aim to describe the steps, demonstrate potential outputs, and assess the feasibility of more routine application. The scope of the work at present is UK terrestrial biodiversity. 3. Project Background The UK regularly publishes a range of biodiversity indicators (https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/uk-biodiversity-indicators-2024/). These UK Biodiversity Indicators (UKBI) are used to track and report progress against international commitments made through the Global Biodiversity Framework. The indicators are wide-ranging, and encompass pressures (e.g. pollution), policy and management interventions (e.g. sustainable forestry), environmental outcomes (e.g. species population trends), evidence about biodiversity, and public interest and support for conservation. Some of the UKBIs are also used/adapted by individual UK countries, and are an important tool for wider communication of how biodiversity is changing. The analysis of current trends will continue to be essential. However, there is increasing recognition of the need for evidence about how the environment could change in future. There are several aspects to this, including: • Understanding the likely 'Business-as-Usual' future trajectory for pressures and interventions • Understanding impacts from individual policy options and decisions • Investigating the interaction between multiple policies, and the likely net outcomes under different assumptions about implementation • Understanding possible future changes in environmental pressures and the options for management and mitigation This evidence can enable more informed discussions on the balance of policies and how investment is allocated. It can also identify risks and opportunities, and provide a communication tool to raise awareness of possible future environmental trajectories (as used in broadly similar ways e.g. in relation to climate), rather than only focusing on past trends. Furthermore, projecting the UK Biodiversity Indicators gives a direct link with how the UK assesses progress on national and international environmental objectives. Being able to project these indicators and test responses to evolving policy priorities and wider socioeconomic changes would be a powerful tool to inform environmental decision-making. As such, JNCC are particularly interested in flexible and re-usable approaches that combine scenarios of potential environmental changes with models that project what effect these changes have on UKBIs. Related JNCC-supported work This project will contribute to a longer-term JNCC ambition to support the development and implementation of biodiversity projections to inform conservation decision-making, through the Biodiversity Pathways project (https://jncc.gov.uk/news/biodiversity-pathways-project-launched/). The project described in this invitation to tender is a standalone piece and does not rely on any previous work 4. Project Objectives To meet the overall Project Aims (Section 2), the objectives are: 1) Agree at least one suitable scenario for projections. This can be existing or newly produced, but must involve some change in the key drivers that affect selected UK Biodiversity Indicators (i.e. the scenario cannot be 'no change from the current position'). 2) Develop, document, and pilot a re-usable modelling approach to project selected UK Biodiversity Indicators under the scenario(s) for a 20-30 year period. We do not expect this to be suitable for using operationally without further testing, but it should be sufficiently developed to show the potential and to enable Objective 3. 3) Evaluate strengths, limitations, and transferability of the resulting methods and projections, to inform next steps in developing this approach. 5. Project Objectives: Detailed Tasks 1) Agree at least one suitable scenario for projections We do not expect an extensive scenario development process - the main purpose of this contract is to develop and test modelling methods suitable for projecting UK Biodiversity Indicators. As such, the scenario(s) used should identify key direct drivers of changes in the selected indicators and set reasonably plausible values for these. However, scenarios would not need to consider underlying policy or socioeconomic shifts necessary to affect the driver values in this way. Existing scenario(s) can be used if relevant. The UK Biodiversity Indicators used must be suitable for projection for the UK and ideally for individual UK countries. We are particularly interested in the indicators listed below, and would like to include at least one indicator from Group 1 (species trends) and at least one indicator from Group 2 (pressures, habitat condition). Note that several of these indicators include multiple components - ideally, each component would be projected though if this does not add much new information or is impractical with the time/evidence available then the focus can be narrowed. Where bidders are aware of overlap with previous or ongoing work on biodiversity projections, this relationship should be explained with a description of how proposals build on rather than duplicate other work. GROUP 1: UK Biodiversity Indicators relating to species trends. Priority to include projections for at least one indicator from the following list Status of threatened species Conservation status of UK species of European importance Priority species abundance Trends in the relative abundance of priority species Priority species distribution Trends in distribution of UK priority species Birds of the wider countryside and at sea Trends in abundance of commoner native birds Insects of the wider countryside (butterflies) Trends in abundance of resident butterfly species Plants of the wider countryside Change in abundance of plant species in four UK broad habitat types Mammals of the wider countryside (bats) Changes in relative abundance of GB breeding bat species Status of pollinating insects Changes in the distribution of bees and hoverflies GROUP 2: UK Biodiversity Indicators of pressures and habitat condition. Priority to include projections for at least one indicator from the following list Air pollution Area affected by acidification and area affected by excess nitrogen Invasive species Number of invasive non-native species established Changes in the extent of invasive non-native species Protected areas Changes in the extent and condition of Protected Areas Status of threatened habitats Conservation status of UK habitats of European importance 2) Develop, document, and pilot a re-usable modelling approach to project indicators under the chosen scenario(s), for a 20-30 year period There is no requirement to use a specific modelling approach. However, the methods (including code) must be clearly and transparently described in sufficient detail to enable re-use and external evaluation. Consideration should also be given to how the approach could be generalised to other indicators (see Task 3, below). The choice of method should be justified as suitable for projecting indicators for a 20-30 year period, and ideally for individual UK countries. Projections should be accompanied by an explanation of the approach to validating outputs, and descriptions of assumptions and uncertainties. We recognise that projections can be complex to produce, and we do not expect the methods to be suitable for using operationally without further testing. However, the content should be sufficiently developed to show the potential and to enable Objective 3. 3) Evaluate strengths, limitations, and transferability of the resulting methods and projections, to inform next steps in developing this approach Objective evaluation of strengths and limitations of the projections is essential to inform future work. The detail of this will depend on the outcomes, but is likely to include: i) Would the methods be feasible to apply operationally, e.g. on a regular basis and/or with new scenarios or policy questions? If yes, what is required to achieve that? ii) Could the methods be extended to other UK Biodiversity Indicators? If yes, which indicators and what would be required to achieve that? iii) What additional evidence would help improve the projections and/or enable better validation of outputs? iv) Are there additional indicators not currently within (or in-development for) the UKBI that would be informative for conservation and amenable to scenarios and modelling? Outputs should be written into a report (see Section 7, below). See Section 13 for guidance on tender responses 7. Outputs Any products or outputs submitted to JNCC [for publication] should adhere to JNCC's house-style and should be produced in an accessible format (see Product Specification below for more information). The expected output is a report including indicator projections, methods detail, and commentary on findings, with a limit of approximately 7,000 words. A shorter non-technical summary will also be required (approx. 250-500 words). Additional information (e.g. code) should be included as supplementary material as needed. Responses can propose additional or alternative outputs and formats if these would more effectively meet the project objectives. 8. Product Specification JNCC is committed to making its publicly available resources and documents accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Katy Reed

Katy Reed

Published 4 days ago
Open

Air Pollution Recovery Indicators - Assessing potential indicators of recovery from air pollution through monitoring air quality and ecological parameters at Skipwith Common SAC

1. Joint Nature Conservation Committee The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is the statutory adviser to the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK and international nature conservation Our role is to provide scientific evidence, information, and advice to inform decisions to protect the natural environment. Our specific role is to work on nature conservation issues that affect the UK as a whole and internationally, by: • advising Government on the development and implementation of policies for, or affecting, nature conservation in the UK and internationally; • providing advice and disseminating knowledge on nature conservation issues affecting the UK and internationally; • establishing common standards throughout the UK for nature conservation, including monitoring, research, and the analysis of results; and • commissioning or supporting research which it deems relevant to these functions. Background to JNCC can be found on JNCC's website at: https://jncc.gov.uk/about-jncc/ 2. Project Aims • Assess whether there has been ecological recovery at Skipwith Common SAC following the closure of nearby coal-fired power stations, by monitoring air quality, vegetation, and soil parameters. • Replicate and enhance previous surveys (from 2011 and 2014) to detect changes in atmospheric pollutants (NH₃, SO₂, NOₓ), vegetation communities, and soil chemistry. • Develop robust, repeatable monitoring methods to track recovery indicators and provide a platform for future long-term monitoring. • Generate evidence to inform site management and national policy and provide recommendations for extending recovery assessments to other sites. 3. Project Background The Large Plant Combustion Directive (LPCD), introduced by the European Union, aimed to reduce air pollution from large combustion plants by setting limits on emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and particulate matter. As part of compliance, UK power stations were required to monitor ecological impacts at nearby Natura 2000 sites. UKCEH conducted a four-year monitoring programme (2011-2015) across seven sites, including Skipwith Common in North Yorkshire, which was notably affected by emissions from three nearby coal-fired power stations: Drax, Eggborough, and Ferrybridge. See figure1. Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve (NNR) spans 270 hectares was selected for its representative heathland vegetation, minimal land management, and proximity to existing monitoring infrastructure. The original study involved air quality measurements, vegetation surveys, and soil analyses. With the closure of the three power stations and reduced pollution levels suggested by regional data, this contract seeks to revisit the site to assess signs of ecological recovery. This includes evaluating changes in air quality, vegetation composition, and soil chemistry, building on the baseline data collected over a decade ago. Figure 1: Location of Skipwith Common (red point) and the three former coal-powered power stations (yellow points) This contract forms part of the Air Pollution Recovery Indicators programme of work. 4. Project Objectives To meet the overall aims of this project (Section 2), the objectives are: To assess whether Skipwith Common SAC shows signs of ecological recovery from air pollution following the closure of nearby coal-fired power stations, by replicating and enhancing previous air quality, vegetation, and soil monitoring surveys. 5. Project Objectives: Detailed Tasks Contractors are welcome to suggest their own sample placements, numbers and analysis. The below is just a suggestion based on previous work. • 12 months of air quality, vegetation, and soil monitoring at Skipwith Common SAC to detect signs of ecological recovery following the closure of nearby power stations. I. This could include monitoring of concentrations of NH₃, SO₂, and NOₓ (at least 10 locations) II. Utilise existing monitoring and data where possible e.g. wet deposition. III. Re-survey the original 50 quadrats (2x2 m) within the 1-hectare area using the same methodology as in 2011 and 2014 and record species presence and abundance to detect changes since 2014. IV. Estimate of soil chemistry across the site e.g. pH, nutrients and base cations V. Set up monthly soil solution sampling at 2 depths e.g. 15cm and 30cm and analyse for acid anions, base cations, pH, DOC, ammonium, phosphate, and conductivity. • Deploy a multi-parameter weather sensor to measure temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, and pressure. • Install a solar radiation sensor to support dry deposition modelling. • Replicate and enhance previous surveys to enable direct comparison of current and past air pollution and ecological data. Compare 2025 findings with 2011 and 2014 data. • Develop and validate robust indicators and methodologies for tracking recovery from air pollution in heathland habitats. • Provide evidence and recommendations to inform site management, national policy, and potential extension of monitoring to other sites 6. Potential Follow-On Work Bidders should be aware that there is the potential for the successful bidder to be requested by JNCC to undertake additional work on this contract into the financial year 2026/27. This could be for follow on work at other Energy Supply Industry sites (ESI's) subject to funding post March 2026. Please note however that the potential for additional work to be undertaken is subject to a continuing need, availability of funds and satisfactory contractor performance. For the avoidance of doubt, no guarantee can be given that you will be asked to undertake the potential additional work outlined within this SoW document. Bidders are not asked to provide detailed project plans for these follow-on aspects at this stage. 7. Outputs • A detailed report comparing current (2025) air quality, vegetation, and soil data with baseline surveys from 2011 and 2014. • Assessment of ecological recovery indicators and identification of any changes in atmospheric pollutant levels and ecosystem health. • Recommendations and lessons learned for extending similar monitoring and recovery assessments to other sites. • Data and evidence to inform site management, policy decisions, and future monitoring strategies. 8. Product Specification JNCC is committed to making its publicly available resources and documents accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. Making material accessible means making sure it can be used by as many people as possible. This includes those with:  impaired vision  motor difficulties  cognitive impairments or learning disabilities  deafness or impaired hearing The outputs and material that JNCC publishes should be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. To meet this standard, all reports and other documentation which are to be made publicly available must adhere to JNCC's house-style (to be provided) and be produced using a JNCC template (to be provided), unless otherwise stated. (Project managers to note - there are two templates, please decide which is most appropriate, either the 'standard' template rather than the JNCC report template). All reports (draft and final) should be provided electronically via email both as a Microsoft Word document and an Adobe PDF. Copies of documentation associated with case studies should be provided in electronic format with an associated reference catalogue. For any other outputs or products which are to be made publicly available through JNCC, evidence regarding how the accessibility standard will be reached should be included. (Note for author if research project/contract: see EQA Policy Appendix 4 (Communicating Evidence Quality). Ensure that data management and storage requirements are stipulated taking into account relevant policy for data access. See https://jncc.gov.uk/about-jncc/corporate-information/evidence-quality-assurance/

Katy Reed

Katy Reed

Published 4 days ago

AI Bid Assistant

Our AI-powered tool to help you create winning bids is coming soon!

View Contract Source Save Contract

Organisation

Surrey County Council

Regional or local authority

Kyrah Stean

[email protected]

2085419000

Timeline complete

Publish
Bid
Evaluate
Award
Complete